December poem...

At the end of November, I put away my beloved hand print turkey, you see... Joyfully to be replaced by our fabulous fake Christmas tree.
Our personal handmade stockings were hung with care.
In every picture Eli is in his underwear.
With style and flare we let the kiddos decorate.
I suppose only their mom thinks it looks great!
We decorated a gingerbread house with candy.

And baked cookies that were just dandy!

Pictures with Santa... Cora wasn't a fan of his lap.

Hot Hubby and I danced the night away on bubble wrap.

The house was covered in lights, a pinnacle of glory!

See it all in this whrrl story...

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We helped give 2 villages in Africa clean water a plenty,

with Julie and the gals from Project 320.

We broke the "Baby News" which made people gape.

We even caught my parents' delayed reaction on tape...

She's Crafty - Baby News from Kara Noel Lawson on Vimeo.

There were train rides...

...giant slides...

...and silly friends by our sides!

Through all the hustle and bustle it's easy to forget,

the little baby born to give his life for our debt.

Read Luke 2 if you'd like to remember,

our awesome Saviour before all his splendor.

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

Irvine Regional Park's Christmas Train

Am I the only one who didn't know about the Christmas Train at the Irvine Regional Park?

(or how awesome the park was for that matter!?!?).

I mean, I'm a 4th Generation OC Gal!

The Christmas Train is awesome and you have to do it.

But it ends tomorrow.

So you have to leave right now.

REALLY!

Head on over to the park and enjoy a few carnival games then hop on the Christmas Train.

Eli was giddy.

Cora could care less...

During the ride across the park you'll see about a bazillion Christmas lights then you'll be dropped off to see Santa.

You get to drink delicious hot cocoa and chomp popcorn while waiting in line. Then snap some priceless photos with Santa.

Our kiddos ate it up...
More photo opts...

The Irvine Regional Park Christmas Train will now be an Eli's Lids family tradition!

How did you tell?

For some folks just saying "I'm pregnant!" is enough.
For me, not so much.
I chose to tell my hubby with a little more panache... I mean... there are only a limited amount of times you get to do this in your WHOLE life.
With Eli, we had a date planned at Dukes in Huntington (one of our favorite local places). I snuck away from work during the day and gave them our wedding champagne glasses. One was filled with pink baby booties, the other with blue.
When we ordered our drinks they served us these instead...
Hot Hubby thought it meant we were having twins.

With Cora Jane, I ironed on this little phrase to one of Eli's onsies (he was only 7 months old!) then put a jacket on him.

When Hot Hubby got home from work I asked him to take off the jacket. At first he thought it was a hand-me-down. Confused, he looked at me and I handed him a new book for Eli titled "I'm a big brother."

With this one (YES, this one!!!), Hot Hubby took them to their usual Saturday morning Starbucks Daddy Date...

While I prepared a fun, VERY late Father's Day Scavenger Hunt. (Our friends gifted us with an awesome mountain bike... something I had wanted to give Hot Hubby on Father's Day but we just didn't have the moo-la.)

The final prize was signed...

Blessing #3 will pop into earth in July!! I've just finished the 1st trimester.
As far as pregnancy symptoms go... (if you get sick while you are With Child don't read on!)
I get a bit tired and my boobs get larger than life!That's it.

Santa

Santa was at Hot Hubby's Christmas party.

So we saw him.

It was free :) Eli said he was "a little scared."

Cora... um...

I think the final photo is priceless!!
I guess a part of me is a little proud that my daughter doesn't want to sit in a rosy nosed strange old man's lap.

Bubble Wrap

The theme was Masquerade. We were dressed to the nines... OK... tens...

The food was good. But we all know I only care about dessert...

We got a caricature.

But I don't think it looks like us.

Do you?

Brad looks stoned and I look like a tweeker...

Do we really look like that?

Don't answer.

In case you don't remember from last year's party or the awesome Foreigner concert...

Hot Hubby and I love to dance.

So do our friends...

(of course I must preface that we are sober... we just like to dance)

Then at the very end there was bubble wrap.

.

They cover the dance floor and you dance and pop till your hearts content. In case you wondered popping bubble wrap is everything you've ever dreamed of.

And so much more.

REALLY!

Family Christmas Party...

Every year my husband's awesome company hosts a family party for EVERYONE.
I won't tell you where he works, but...

Our first stop was a picture with Santa. There was a bit of a line so we ate... a lot!

(Santa pix are so awesome, they are getting their own post!)

One of the highlights of the par-tay is snow.

Real snow.

For sledding.

Throwing.
A real treat for us So Cal folks!

Yum!

More eating...It was a good day.

Santa.

Popcorn.

Train ride.

Cookies.

Pony ride.

Petting zoo.

AMAZING food.

You would cry too if you had to leave.